Leaderboard

We all know volvo as Ford's safety conscious division but it turns out they have an extrodinary selection of wheels for their cars--most of which will fit the transit. The good things about using the OEM wheels are: they are generally high quality, made to stringent safety standards, available CHEAP from Volvo guys that are upgrading. I got mine for $400 SHIPPED with 3,000 mile old tires. The tires are high quality all season Michelins that are rated for the same load and PSI as the transits' OEM tires despite the lower profile. MUCH quieter too. These are 17" X 7" and the center bore was a perfect fit. Plenty of offset to clear the brakes. Watch fleabay and Swedespeed.com --marketplace--classifieds. The swedespeed forum even has an informative post with many pictures of OEM volvo wheels and their sizes/part numbers/names etc.

Volvo 17" Mestra wheels, they look really nice painted black or dark grey too. Saw quite a few painted ones when I was shopping around. So you checked out the swedespeed forum? Pretty amazing how many wheels Volvo makes huh? Their reference guide is good but it does need to be updated with the newer wheels. These are also the lightest Volvo C30 OEM wheels at 21 lbs each. I don't have a scale (i'm just fat and I accept it and don't worry about it.) but I wanted to compare the OEM transit wheel/tire combo with the Volvo wheels and tires. The old lift test had them about the same. Oh and for everyone else that wanted to check out that swede speed classified section for wheels and tires: http://forums.swedespeed.com/forumdisplay.php?48-Wheels-Tires-Classifieds Check out their Wheel image sticky at the top of the post.

Yeah I just live with the light on, actually i made a custom idiot light canceling mechanism, which consists of a small round piece of black electrical tape applied to the glass speedo/tacho cover. I tried to pull the fuse for the TPMS from the main power relay box under the hood but it didn't prevent the light from coming on. Maybe I pulled the wrong one? But I have been driving it for weeks now w/o the TPMS and the cruise control/everything works fine. It was suggested early on here on this forum that the TPMS was some how tied to the cruise control system. Rest assured they are unrelated.

I'm actually using the Bridgstone Blizzacks WS-70s. The tire shop that I used pointed out the inflation difference, but I decided to use them, anyway, since I have had such great luck with Blizzacks for the last 20 years. I have the rears at the max reccomended pressure, and was only concerned about the TPMS lighting up. So far (about 2 months), this has yet to be an issue. We have been experiencing some of the greatest early season snows that we have seen in years, here in Summit County, Colorado, and I have had very few issues with slippage, and have yet to get stuck (although I would still love the extra control of a stick, plus the availability of all wheel drive -- maybe when they start making them here!) I didn't figure that the inflation difference would be too big a deal, since I doubt that I will ever have more than about 800 to 1,000 lbs on board. 4 good snow tires make ALL the difference when you live in snow country, and I have nothing but praise for the Blizzacks. Now, I'm just keeping an eye out for some alloys for the summer rubber!

I found it to be a bit of a Bitch to buy snow tires for the TC only because Costco would NOT install my BF Goodrich Blizzak WS70! The reason why is because the rear tires, the recommended air pressure for the rears is 49 lbs and the Blizzaks are max 44lbs lbs They are actually load rated higher then the stock tires and the traction in the snow is amazing! Best snow tire I have ever used A++++++ http://www.tirerack.com/tires/BigPic.jsp?sidewall=Blackwall&tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Blizzak+WS70&sidewall=Blackwall&partnum=16TR6WS70

I burned up the stock Continentals at 55,000 miles on my 2010 TC. I've replaced them with Michelin X-Ice. WOW! What a difference. Last winter I was getting stuck in 3 inches of snow . Now I'm plowing a path in alleys!! Incredible tires. I carry about 2000 pounds worth of equipment and the sidewalls don't even bulge. Although I do get a little wiggly wiggly feel down the highway..... I'll pull these tires off come spring, to save them for next winter, and put on some low profiles to get that slot car feel back ...but till then, bring on the snow baby!! Michelin X-Ice, two thumbs and a toe up. :D

My search for this information is that it is +52.5 mm. I have been collecting information from various sources and don't recall the specific source for this detail.

Lug pattern is 5 x 108mm and the offset is 52.mm. Most wheels with from 42 to 52mm offset should work with appropiate size tires. 18 x 8.5 wheels with a 52mm offset using 225/45-18 tires are the largest that I have found anybody using.

HAL; WHEN I WAS GETTING TIRES FOR THE LINCOLN WHEELS THAT I USED ON MY TC, I SPOKE TO TIRE RACK. THEY WERE VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND HELPFUL. I SPOKE TO A GENTLEMAN NAMED GUS, IN PARTICULAR, BUT I'M SURE ANY TECH THERE CAN HELP YOU. I WENT FROM A 15X6 1/2 TO A 16 X7 WHEEL WITH 225/55 R16 TIRE AND THERE IS PLEANTY OF ROOM AROUND THE TIE RODS AND BRAKES. WOODY

LET ME TRY AND HELP EVERYONE WITH THE RESET OF THE TPMS. I TRIED THE PROCEEDURE IN THE OWNERS MANUAL, BUT ID DID NOT WORK. I SPOKE TO AN EX STUDENT OF MINE WHO WORKS AT THE PARTS COUNTER AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND HE GAVE ME THE SECRET. I FOUND ON E-BAY A FORD ACTIVATION TOOL PART NUMBER 8CZT-1A203-AA FOR ABOUT $35.00. IT WORKS BUT THE FORD GUYS TOLD ME THAT A MAGNET WORKS JUST AS WELL. THEY RECOMMEND ONE OF THOSE ROUND MAGNETS YOU FIND IN THE BOTTOM OF AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PAN. FOLLOW THE PROCEEDURE FROM THE SERVICE MANUAL NOT THE OWNERS MANUAL. 1.TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH TO THE OFF POSITION, THEN PRESS AND RELEASE THE BRAKE PEDAL. 2. CYCLE THE IGNITION SWITCH FROM THE OFF POSITION TO THE RUN POSITION 3 TIMES ENDING IN THE RUN POSITION. 3.PRESS AND RELEASE THE BRAKE PEDAL 4. TURN THE IGNITION WWITCH TO THE OFF POSITION. 5. TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH FROM OFF POSITION TO THE RUN POSITION 3 TIMES, ENDING IN THE RUN POSITION. THE HORN WILL SOUND ONCE ANT THE TPMS INDICATOR WILL FLASH IF THE TRAINING MODE HAS BEEN ENTERED SUCCESSFULLY. 6. IT MAY TAKE UP TO 6 SECONDS TO ACTIVATE A TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR. 7.WITH IN 2 MINUTES OF THE HORN SOUNDING, PLACE THE TPM ACTIVATION TOOL ( OR ROUND MAGNET) ON THE LEFT FRONT TIRE SIDEWALL AT THE VALVE STEM AND PRESS AND RELEASE THE THE TEST BUTTON TO TRAIN THE LF TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR. THE HORN WILL SOUND. 8 DO NOT WAIT MORE THA 2 MINUTES BETWEEN TRAINING OR THE PROCESS WILL HAVE TO START OVER. REPEAT STEP 7 FOR THE RF, RR, THE LR IN THAT ORDER, THE HORN WILL SOUND BRIEFLY WITH EACH RESET. TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH TO OFF. IF THERE IS NOT HORN, THE RESET WAS SUCCESSFUL. IF THE HORN BEEPS TWICE WHEN THE SWITCH IS TURNED OFF TRAINING WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AND NEEDS TO BE RE DONE. I REPLACED BY AND WHEELS WITH 1997 LINCOLN MARK VII 10 SPOKE ALLOYS 16X7 AND PUT GENERAL ALTIMAX 225-55 16 TIRES. I KEEP 51 PSI IN THE REAR AND 46PSI IN THE FRONT. THE TIRES AND NEW TPMS I GOT FROM TIRE RACK, THEY ARE EXTREMELY HELPFUL. IT LOOKS AND HANDLES GREAT. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DOWNLOAD PICTURES TO THE GALLERY, BUT IT WILL NOT LOAD. IF YOU WANT PICTURES PLEASE E-MAIL ME. WOODY

Can anyone from Ford chime in here on the justification for not thinking about chains? Snow tires are great but if you have to go over a pass in the winter your screwed. Highway patrol check points can keep you off the road if you don't have chains. For passengers this may be great. But for the professionals that bought this for work it makes it tough.

We have Nokian Hakkapeliitta R's on our TC. They have outstanding snow and ice traction, low rolling resistance, excellent tread wear for a snow, but are expensive. Buying cheap tires never made sense to me. They have "SUV" grade tires with higher load ratings, but those aren't available in 15". The 205/65R15 are rated XL (extra load) and have a load rating of 99R. 99 = 1,709 lbs/tire. For comparison, a Michelin X-Ice Xi2 has a load rating of 94T - 1,477 lbs. Probably still OK for a vehicle with a GWR of 5,005.

For instance: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Continental&tireModel=VancoWinterContact&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&partnum=065TR5VWCXL NOTE: I tried adding to cart to see shipping charges, and was notified that these have a higher rating than Ford recommends. It seems you can pick from the regular winter tires and be within the vehicle's rating.